Tyre shredding plant gets 400,000 upgrade

The tyre recycling firm is investing in its shredding plant in Breighton, near Selby, ahead of the opening of its 4.1 million cryogenic plant in Neath, South Wales – a facility which will freeze the tyres with liquid nitrogen so they can be smashed into crumbs.

Credential Environmental technician Dale Waterworth (right) examines progress on the new tyre shredding blades with Kevin Butterworth of Bootham Engineering

The Yorkshire-based firm wants to make sure enough material is being transported to Neath so has begun a raft of measures, including the installation of two new rotors, to improve efficiency at the Breighton facility, which recycled 15 million tyres last year.

Steve Patterson, Credential director, said: “The new rotors are part of a 400,000 scheme to increase efficiency at Breighton as the new Tyregenics plant will process over 30,000 tonnes of used tyres a year.”

Tyregenics

Although Credential Environmental has another plant in Wednesbury, the Breighton plant needs to do more to feed the cryogenic site, known as the Tyregenics plant.

The two new 150,000 rotors, manufactured by Florida firm Columbus Mc Kinnon are being installed by York-based Bootham engineering. Other improvements include upgrading walkways and firebreaks.

Once shredded, tyres will be transported from Breighton and Wednesbury to the Neath plant, which is a joint venture between Credential, BOC gases and artificial sports pitch firm Field Turf Inc.

Cryogenics

Here material will be treated with the nitrogen to make them brittle before being shattered with hammers into tyre crumbs which can then be used in a variety of applications from sealants to sports pitches.

Both facilities will help to manage the estimated 46 million used tyres which are scrapped in the UK each year. The UK banned both whole and shredded tyres from landfill from July 2006, in accordance with the landfill directive. (see letsrecycle.com story)

Mr Patterson said: “The huge capacity of the new Tyregenics plant means both our Breighton and Wednesbury sites operating at maximum efficiency and this substantial investment is designed to ensure this.”